NIT: Queensland’s "disturbing record" on deaths in custody will only get worse under LNP’s agenda, advocates warn

Within the last financial year Queensland has had the highest number of deaths in custody in the past two decades, 19, as revealed by the Australian Institute of Criminology's latest Deaths in Custody report.

This report further highlighted 5 Indiginous deaths in custody, the highest in Australia, equal with WA, with half of the deaths being suicides. Queensland also led the nation in deaths in police custody this year, with eight fatalities.

The National Network of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls condemned the Queensland government, "Queensland is reinforcing its reputation as a state more committed to punitive policies than to protecting lives," Network spokesperson Debbie Kilroy said.

"These numbers expose a systemic disregard for human life, especially among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who remain disproportionately represented in these statistics," Ms Kilroy said.

"The report underscores a grim reality: five Aboriginal people were killed in Queensland prisons this year, the equal highest number alongside Western Australia. Half of these deaths were suicides, yet the state has failed to implement meaningful changes to address the inherent risks posed by its mass incarceration of First Nations people."

Ms. Kilroy criticised the Queensland government’s response, “Even more concerning is the LNP’s so-called 'tough-on-crime' approach, which will only drive exponential growth in prison populations and heighten the risk of more deaths in custody,” she stated.

She further condemned the LNP's repeal of the Path to Treaty Act, highlighting it as evidence of a lack of commitment to genuine collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. “Without meaningful engagement with First Nations voices, the cycle of mass incarceration and preventable deaths will continue,” Ms. Kilroy warned.

The National Network has called on the Queensland government to take immediate action, including:

  • Implementing all recommendations from the Royal Commission: Commit to transformative reforms based on long-ignored recommendations.
  • Engaging First Nations communities: Establish formal mechanisms for genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in shaping justice policies.
  • Ending mass incarceration: Focus on decarceration strategies and invest in community-led, culturally appropriate services to address the root causes of harm and ensure safety for all.
  • Addressing systemic racism in legal systems: Overhaul coroner's courts to ensure accountability for deaths in custody and introduce independent oversight of police and correctional services.

 

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